Box assembly rack



N O. H. WILLIAMSON BOX ASSEMBLY RACK 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed May 26, 1951 INVENTOR. Oarawflj Zl/zlli'amsarz 1952 o. H. WILLIAMSON 2,618,208

BOX ASSEMBLY RACK Filed May 26, 1951 v I i I INVENTOR. I 8cm" fl: wil /2507226021 Patented Nov. 18, 1952 amazes Box ASSEMBLY RACK Oscar H. Williamson, Riverside, Ill., assignor to International Paper Company, .New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May'26, 1951, :SerialNo. 228,440

4. Claims. (Cl. :93-89-1) 'Thisinvention relates to new and useful improvements in means 'for assembling paperboard boxes and particularly seeks to provide novel apparatus for assembly and temporary storage prior o st tc ng of box sections, each comprising inner and outer telescoping sleeves, a cap and, in some cases, an inner end pad.

A large demand has arisen for a paperboard box which includes a section comprising a long inner telescoping sleeve, a shorter outer telescoping sleeve, a cap, and sometimes an inner end "pad.

Generally, paperboard boxes are assembled at the plant where the boxes are being filled. The manual assembly of the section described above is very slow because the telescoping relationship and the invisibility of much of the surface of the component parts make it difficult to determine when the parts are in correct alignment and thus ready for stitching.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a novel box section assembly rack to aid the assembly of successively formed box sections and temporarily hold a plurality of the same.

It is another object of this invention to provide an assembly rack of the character stated which will assemble each box section automatically when the component parts are placed in the rack in the proper sequence.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide an assembly rack of the character stated, including three sets of deflector or folding shoes to effect the folding of the box section cap and a supporting cage that effects the assembly of the box section 'by merely placing the component partsin the rack in the proper sequence, namely, cap, inner end pad, outer shorter telescoping sleeve and inner longer telescoping sleeve.

With these and other objects in view, the nature ofv which will be more apparent, the invention will be more fully understood by reference to the drawings, the accompanying detailed .description and the appended claims;

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective 'view of a box section assembled through use .of a device constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the 'box assembly rack;

.Fig. 3 is a' vertical section taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2:;

Fig. 4 :is a. fragmentary end elevation-of a portion @Of the box assembly rack indicated by line 4-4 of. Fig. 2.;

Fig. .5 is a'horizontal section taken along line Fig. 6 is a broken side elevation with portions thereof being in verticalsectionltaken along line 6-6 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. '7 is a verticalrsection taken alongline "I-| of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings in detail, this "invention as illustrated is embodied in a box section assembly rack particularly adapted to correctly assemble the parts of a telescoping paperboard box section by merely placing the parts within the rack in proper sequence.

The assembly rack is mounted on a supporting trestle comprising a plurality of legs I'O suitably braced by cross rods 1 I and transversely disposed spaced parallel cross barsorbraces I2; I2 formed from angle iron. Each of the bars I2 is provided in its horizontal flange with a long slot [3. A long cage generally indicated at I4 is mounted on the cross bars I2 and extends beyond each end of the supporting trestle.

The cage I4 maybe formed from angle iron and includes a pair of generally rectangular side frames maintained in spaced parallel relation by suitable transverse braces. One side frame comprises a lower stringer l5 rigidly afiixed to the upper faces-of the cross bars I2, I2 adjacent the ends thereof and an upper stringer ll; adjustably maintained in spaced parallel relation thereto as by a pair of spaced parallel vertical braces l1, IT. 'The upper end of each brace I1 is rigidly affixed to the stringer I6 and its'lower portion is slotted as at I 8 in or'd'er that 'it can be 'adjustably secured to the stringer I5 by a bolt and nut "indicated at IS. The opposed .sid'e frame comprises a lower stringer '21) adjustably a'ffixe'd to the upper faces of the'cross bars :12, I 2 by bolts and nuts 2|, '21 through the slots I3, I3 and an upper stringer 2'2 adjustably maintained'in spaced parallel relation thereto as by a pair of spaced parallel vertical braces 23, 23. 'The upper end of each brace 23 is rigidly aflixed to the stringer 2'2 and its iower portion is slotted as at 24 in order that it can be adjustably secured to the stringer 20 by a bolt and nut indicated at'25. It will be noted that the braces l1, I1, 23 and 23 are also fabricated from angle iron and that they are so positioned that their laterally projecting flanges are 'in juxtaposition with corresponding portions of the downwardly projecting flanges of the cross beams l2, 12. In this manner ample rigidity is given to the side frame even though the-spacing between the stringers IE, IS, 20 and 22 is adjustable both vertically and horizontally. The opposed side tramesware .ad-jfiustably maintained in a spaced parallel relation at the top by a pair of transversely disposed spaced parallel top cross-braces 26, 26 formed from angle iron and each placed adjacent the associated vertical braces I1 and 23. One end of each brace 26 is rigidly affixed to the horizontal flange of the stringer I6, and the horizontal flange of brace 26 is slotted as at 21 in order that it can be adjustably attached to the stringer 22 by a bolt and nut indicated at 28. Adjustably mounted between the pair of cross bars I2, I2 in slots l3, [3 by suitable means is a lower center beam 29. Similarly mounted between the pair of cross braces 26, 26 in slots 21, 21 and in vertical alignment with the lower beam 29 is an upper center beam 30. Each of the center beams 29 and 30 is provided with a plurality of pairs of rollers 3|, 3|, each roller of each pair being disposed on opposed sides of the associated center beam and having its inner edge lying in a plane slightly inward of that of the inner horizontal surfaces of the associated string- ..ers l5 and 20 or IE and 22.

The receiving end (right end as viewed in Figs.

2 and 6) of the forming rack is provided with four outwardly projecting relatively long tapering deflector shoes 32 secured to the horizontal flanges of the stringers l5, I6, 20 and 22 in vertically diverging pairs. Each of the shoes 32 is provided with a relatively short double plate portion which proiects laterally and inwardly to serve as a secondary deflector shoe, and comdiverging pairs and the tertiary shoes 36 are disposed in horizontally diver ing pairs so that all of the shoes 32, 33, 35 and 36 collectively form a funnel-like receiving end for the forming rack.

At th opposite or discharge end of the forming rack there is mounted on each stringer a, pair of snubbers 31, 31, one being afiixed to the horizontal flange and the other to the vertical flange. The snubbers have a slight pitch so as to decrease the internal diameter of the supporting cage toward the discharge end.

4 folded the horizontal outer plates 33 begin to force the horizontal pair of flaps 43, 43 inwardly. After partial bending of the horizontal The box section to be assembled in this rack:

includes a long inner telescoping sleeve 38, a somewhat shorter outer telescoping sleeve 39, an inner end pad 40 if desired) and a cap generally indicated at 4|. The cap includes a main panel 42 which is the same size as the cross section.

of .the outer sleeve 39 and carries on each of t o opposed sides a narrow flap 43. Each of the other opposed sides carries a narrow flap 44 which isprovided at each end with a fastening tab 45.

In the operation of this assembly rack the telescoping. sleeves 38 and 39 are in tubular form, but the cap 41 and the end pad 40, of course, are in flat blank form. The cap blank is placed in the receiving end and pushed inward with the opposed pair of flaps 44, 44, which carry the fastening tabs 45, being-vertical. The first contact is made by the horizontal deflector shoes 32 which gradually force the tabs 45 into the horizontal plane towards a position at right angles to the associated flaps 44, 44, the primary shoes 32 being so placed that they initially only affect the tabs 45. Immediately after the tabs have been folded to an angular position the vertical deflector. shoes 36 begin to force the vertical pair of flaps 44, 44

flaps the outer edges of the flaps pass and catch on the detent edges 34 which retain the cap in the rack without aid of the operator as shown in Fig. 6. At this point the vertical fiap's are also only partially bent so as to allow loose working space in the cap. The inner end pad 40 is placed in juxtaposition with the main panel 42 of the cap and then the outer telescoping sleeve 39 is placed adjacent the inner end pad and pushed in which forces the cap and pad into the supporting cage M. The bending of the vertical flaps 44, 44 is completed by the shoes 36 and immediately thereafter the bending of the horizontal flaps 43, 43 is completed by the irmer plates 35 just prior to entry of the cap into the supporing cage. The long inner sleeve 38 is last placed in the rack adjacent the inner end pad and'within the outer short sleeve and pushed into the cage, thus pushing the cap and end pad, and forcing the outer sleeve by frictional drag farther into the cage. Then a new cap can be placed in the rack and the cycle repeated, thus stepwise forcing the first section towards the discharge end.

While the box sections are in the rack they are supported above and below by the rollers 3| to reduce the frictional drag. At the outgoing end of the assembly rack the properly assembled box section is presented cap first and may be easily removed by hand or by a box-holdingdevice. Generally the box section will be removed to a stitching machine for final fastening. The snubbers 31 in reducing the outgoing diameter effect a frictional drag to force the cap to stay in engagement with the sleeve 39.

Thus it will be seen that the invention herein disclosed provides box assembling means including a plurality of deflector shoes which automatically effect proper folding of box panels from plane positions to assembled positions and a forming cage that frictionally holds and aids the assembly of paperboard box sections including a cap, a long inner telescoping sleeve, a shorter outer telescoping sleeve, and an inner end pad.

It is, of course, to be understood that various details of arrangement and proportions of parts may be modified within the scope of the-appended claims.

I claim:

1. A box section assembly rack to efiect the assembly and storage of box sections, comprising a mounting trestle, a storage cage mounted thereon, and folding means comprising a series of outwardly extending deflector shoes attached to the receiving end of said cage and including a primary set of vertically diverging shoes, a secondary set of horizontally diverging shoes, and a tertiary set of vertically diverging shoes, each of said last-named shoes including an outer plate portion provided with an inwardly sprung inner detent edge and a partially overlapping inner plate portion.

2. A box section assembly rack to eifect the assembly and storage of box sections, comprising a mounting trestle, a storage cage mounted thereon, a plurality of rollers disposed along the a series of outwardly extending deflector shoes attached to the receivingend ofsaid cage and including a primary set of vertically diverging shoes, a secondary set of horizontally diverging shoes, and a tertiary set of vertically diverging shoes, each of said last-named shoes including an outer plate portion provided with an inwardly sprung inner detent edge and a partially overlapping inner plate portion. 7

3. A box section assembly rack to effect the assembly and storage of box sections, comprising a mounting trestle, a storage cage mounted thereon, a plurality of rollers disposed along the upper and lower inner faces of said cage to carry said box sections, a plurality of snubbers attached to the discharge end of said cage to retard uncontrolled discharge of the said box sections, and folding means comprising a series of outwardly extending deflector shoes attached to the receiving end of said cage and including a primary set of vertically diverging shoes, a secondary set of horizontally diverging shoes, and a tertiary set of vertically diverging shoes, each of said last-named shoes including an outer plate portion provided with an inwardly sprung inner detent edge and a partially overlapping inner plate portion.

4. A box section assembly rack toeffect the assembly and storage of box sections of the type including a sleeve and a cap provided with narrow flaps and fastening tabs foldable into a skirt the receiving end of said cage and including a primary set of vertically diverging shoes, a secondary set of horizontally diverging shoes, and a tertiary set of vertically diverging shoes, eachof said last-named shoes including an outer plate portion provided with an inwardly sprung inner detent edge and a partially overlapping inner plate portion whereby on forcing the cap into said receiving end the tabs are folded by the primary shoes, the horizontal flaps are folded by the secondary shoes and the vertical flaps are folded by the tertiary shoes to effect formation of the cap skirt preparatory to receiving a sleeve and to thus successively assemble and store box sections.

OSC'AR I-I. WILLIAMSON.

No references cited. 

